Around 100 Croatian soccer fans stood before an Athens court, facing criminal charges including murder and involvement in a criminal organization for their alleged role in a fatal fan violence incident. This follows the tragic death of a 29-year-old Greek fan who was fatally stabbed outside AEK Athens’ stadium, resulting in the cancellation of a Champions League qualifier against Dinamo Zagreb.
Handcuffed and many concealing their identities with shirts over their heads, the suspects appeared before an investigative magistrate. All 103 individuals, including 97 Croatian nationals, were charged with offenses like assault, illegal possession, and use of explosive material.
It is anticipated that the murder charges may be dropped for most defendants as the investigation progresses. Amateur video footage captured the chaotic scene, showing numerous youths wielding bats and iron bars while flares and petrol bombs erupted. The attack left ten people injured, with four still hospitalized.
To locate more suspects, Greek police implemented highway roadblocks and additional border checks, leading to the arrest of six Croatian nationals attempting to flee the country. Five of them were apprehended in the northwestern port of Igoumenitsa while preparing to board a ferry to Italy, and the sixth was caught on a bus bound for Albania.
Concerns of further violence arose later in the day as Athens club Panathinaikos faced Marseille in a Champions League qualifier, conducted under heightened security at Leoforos Stadium in the heart of the Greek capital. Authorities established a cordon around the stadium, while police patrolled nearby intersections and subway stations. Fortunately, no violence was reported by halftime, and French fans were not granted tickets. However, three individuals were arrested outside the stadium for attempting to bring in knives and flares.
Margaritis Schinas, the vice president of the European Commission, condemned the “horrible violence” that took place at AEK’s stadium, asserting that there is “no place for violence and hooliganism in European football.” He reached out to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin to discuss the incident.
The Greek capital is set to host the UEFA Super Cup between Manchester City and Sevilla. Greek Public Order Minister Giannis Oikonomou acknowledged police made “tragic errors” in failing to prevent the traveling Croatian supporters and not acting on information about potential clashes. He suspended seven police officers, including some in senior positions, pending an investigation.
Outside AEK’s Opap Arena, tributes were set up for the victim, Michalis Katsouris, who was fatally stabbed. AEK urged UEFA to impose “immediate and severe punishment” on Dinamo Zagreb, expressing disappointment over the qualifier proceeding in Zagreb later that month.
“The question that torments our fans is one that we described from the outset and that also torments us: How is it possible that following the brutal murder of Michalis by a gang of vicious criminals from Croatia, for AEK Athens to enter the field and play against this team?” AEK said.
“Will any of his killers be in the stands?”
The Croatian government and Dinamo both strongly condemned the attacks in Athens. The Zagreb club defended its actions, asserting full cooperation with authorities, and rejected AEK’s calls for expulsion from European competitions.
Mayors Kostas Bakoyannis of Athens and Tomislav Tomasevic of Zagreb issued a joint statement that “Athens and Zagreb maintain friendly ties, and as mayors we are committed to strengthening them.”
“This senseless violence has no place in our stadiums, in our cities and in our societies,” the joint statement added.
